India beat Pakistan in last-ball thriller to win U-19 Asia Cup final

India completed a dramatic victory at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat, finishing at 339 for nine in 50 overs. Mohit Ulva and Chigurupati Venkata played key roles in the final moments to take India to the title.

Ulva and Venkata turn the match around

India were close to defeat at 252 for eight in the 42nd over while chasing Pakistan’s 338-run target. However, Mohit Ulva and Manal Chauhan brought India back into the match with a 57-run partnership for the ninth wicket.

Chauhan scored 47 from 32 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes before getting out in the 48th over. His dismissal left India needing 29 runs from the final 16 balls.

Ulva and Venkata then produced a match-winning performance by adding an unbeaten 30 runs for the last wicket. India needed eight runs in the final over, and Ulva finished the chase with a boundary off Ahmed Hussain’s last delivery.

Ulva remained unbeaten on 49 from 26 balls, including five fours and three sixes. Venkata also stayed not out on 11 from eight balls as India reached their target with one wicket remaining.

Earlier, Indian captain Lakshya Raichandani scored 80 from 101 balls, while Aaryavir Sehwag made 58 off 61 deliveries. Their opening partnership of 95 runs gave India a strong start.

Pakistan fought back by taking wickets at regular intervals. Raichandani was dismissed at 217 in the 37th over, while India lost their eighth wicket at 252, putting Pakistan in a strong position.

Pakistan post 337 after Usman Khan’s century

Pakistan scored 337 for nine after choosing to bat first in the final. Usman Khan led the batting with an impressive century, while Abdul Qadir and captain Farhan Yousaf also made important contributions.

Usman and Hayam Khan gave Pakistan a steady start with an opening partnership of 62 runs. Hayam scored 21 from 23 balls, including four boundaries, before losing his wicket in the ninth over.

Usman then joined Abdul Qadir to build a strong second-wicket partnership of 135 runs. Qadir played an attacking innings of 80 from just 54 balls, hitting three fours and eight sixes.

Qadir was dismissed on the final ball of the 27th over when Pakistan had reached 197 for two. Usman continued batting confidently and completed his second century of the tournament.

Usman scored 107 from 111 balls, including 11 fours and three sixes, before getting out in the 37th over. At that stage, Pakistan had reached 240 for three.

Farhan Yousaf adds valuable runs for Pakistan

Captain Farhan Yousaf kept Pakistan moving forward with an innings of 63 from 60 balls. His knock included four fours and three sixes, while he shared a 59-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Ahmed Hussain.

Ahmed contributed 17 runs from 20 balls. Pakistan appeared set to score more than 350 after reaching 204 for two at the halfway stage.

However, Indian bowlers made a strong comeback during the final overs and stopped Pakistan from reaching a bigger total. Pakistan eventually finished at 337 for nine in their 50 overs.

Kavya Paresh Patel was India's leading bowler with four wickets for 68 runs in 10 overs. Venkata, who replaced the injured Ishan Sood, took three wickets for 40 runs in five overs, while Arjun Rajput claimed one wicket for 43 runs.

Pakistan miss title defence as India lift trophy

The defeat ended Pakistan’s hopes of defending their U-19 Asia Cup title. Pakistan had entered the final unbeaten after winning all three group matches, including an earlier victory over India, and defeating Bangladesh in the semi-final.

Despite their strong tournament performance, Pakistan could not stop India from completing the difficult chase. Mohit Ulva was named player of the match for his unbeaten 49 and match-winning contribution.

Aaryavir Sehwag received the player of the tournament award for his overall performance in the competition. India celebrated the title after producing a remarkable comeback in the final.

Pakistan had a strong batting performance and posted a challenging total of 337 runs. However, India showed great determination and kept fighting even after losing eight wickets.

The final over proved decisive as Ulva held his nerve and hit the winning boundary on the last ball. Pakistan’s defeat shows how important it is to take wickets and control the game during the closing overs.

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